Method for bulking yarn



Oct. 1, 1957 E. J. GRISET, JR

METHOD FOR BULKING YA RN Original Filed May 12. 1953 47 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 50 F METHOD FOR BULKING YARN Ernest J. Griset, In, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. C., a corporation of Delaware Original application May 12, 1953, Serial No. 354,503. Divided and this application February 10, 1956, Serial No. 564,681

8 Claims. (Cl. 28-72) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 354,503, filed May 12, 1953, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my Patent No. 2,661,588.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of yarn and more particularly to an improved method for producing curled or bulked yarn.

In the above mentioned patent there is disclosed an improved suction-type thread collection device which according to my said continuation-impart application may be utilized to impart a curliness or bulkiness to a continuous strand of twisted or untwisted yarn.

The operation of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective of another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the central axis of the thread collection device and illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for practicing the present invention which utilizes a special yarn feed mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a schematic drawing in elevation of the yarn feed mechanism in Figure 4.

In general, the desired properties are introduced into the yarn in the present invention by passing the continuously running yarn into and through the suction device and by changing the direction of travel of the yarn after it emerges from the nozzle of the suction device and while it is still under the influence of the stream of air passing though the device. Preferably, the direction of travel is changed by disposing a baflle member opposite the nozzle of the suction device and causing the yarn to impinge thereon. The yarn is then collected in package form on any suitable take-up.

By controlling the respective rates at which the yarn is fed to and withdrawn from the suction device a most unusal effect is obtained. The yarn treated according to the present invention is characterized by having a pronounced curliness and bulkiness throughout the continuous strand. It thus has properties in common with spun yarn and, in fact, a fabric woven with the present type yarn used as a filling has the same bulkiness and soft feel as a fabric woven from spun yarn.

Referring now to Figure l, the numeral 10 designates a source of supply for a continuously running yarn 11. The yarn is passed through guide 12 and introduced into the low pressure area of a suction type thread collecting 'device 13. Further details of the "device 13 will be obvious from the discussion of Figure 3 below.. Air or other gas from any-suitable source is introduced into the device 13 through tube 14. The yarn 11 is caught in the jet of gas and propelled through tube 15 of suction device 13.

A flat impervious bafl le plate 16 mounted by means not 2,897,82 Patented Oct. 1, 1957 shown is disposed a short distance away from the end of the tube 15. It will be noted that the bafile 16 is inclined at an angle with respect to a perpendicular to the tube 15. With this arrangement, the yarn is discharged from the end of the tube 15 and into contact with the baflie 16 where it continues to be subjected to a turbulence due to the blast of air. The yarn 11 is then withdrawn via thread guides 17 and 18 to take-up 19. It is important that the take-up 19 withdraw the yarn 11 from the vicinity of the baffle 16 at a much slower speed than it is fed to the suction device 13. In other words, it is necessary that a certain amount of slack accumulate in the yarn in the vicinity of the deflector plate and during the time that it is under the influence of the blast of air.

The yarn collected on the take-up 19 has properties completely difierent from those possessed by the yarn supplied to the suction device 13. For example, a 450/ viscose rayon filament yarn containing a twist of 3 T. P. I. after being subjected to the foregoing process is transformed from a smooth constant denier yarn into a yarn having the general appearance and feel of spun yarn. The described process does not actually sever individual filaments of yarn. Instead, the blast of air acts with varying severity on the various filaments with the result that numerous small curls are introduced throughout the length of the yarn. Cloth woven using yarn so treated as filling was found to have a bulky appearance with a fuzzy or loopy surface.

In Figure 2, the member 13 is provided with a thread guide 26 mounted on the bottom side thereof. The yarn 11 to be treated is introduced into the tube 15 and expelled therefrom by means of a stream of air entering at 14. Upon emerging from tube 15 the direction of travel of the yarn 11 is changed by passing it through thread guide 26 and to a suitable take-up. As previously explained, the yarn is withdrawn by the take-up considerably slower than it is supplied to the suction device 13. Thus, the yarn between the exit end of tube 13 and guide 26 has a certain amount of slack it it. It is, of course, not necessary that thread guide 26 be attached directly to suction device 13. Any suitable means for supporting thread guide 26 may be used, its principal function being to change the direction of travel of the yarn as it emerges from the tube 15.

Figure 3 shows the details of the thread suction device 13. The numeral 20 indicates generally a solid cylindrical support or housing in whicha jet 21 and discharge tube 22 are maintained in spaced axial registry separated by a small gap. A notch cut in the housing 20 is defined by an inclined shoulder 23 and a perpendicular shoulder 24. The jet 21 projects through the shoulder 23 and an aligned aperture in the shoulder 24 leads to the tube 22.

The jet 21 is provided internally with two bores of different diameter. The larger bore 25 extends from the outer end about half way along the jet tube. The smaller bore 29 extends to the tip portion of the jet. The two-bore assembly is held in place in housing 26 by means of a threaded section 30 on the exterior of the jet 21 in a radial plane coinciding with a part of the length of large bore 25. 7

Air from any suitable source is connected at 34 to the large bore end of jet 21. The air emerges from the tip of jet 21 at a high velocity, enters discharge tube 22 and finally is emitted to the atmosphere. The high velocity stream of air creates a reduced pressure zone in the notch formed by the shoulders 23 and 24 with the result that any-yarn placed in the wedge-shaped proportion is immediately conveyed into the stream of high velocity air and, propelled into the tube 22.

In Figure 3, a sphere 33, disposed opposite the exit end of tube 22, serves'asthe deflecting means for the air and yarn. As in the foregoing embodiments, it-is necessary that the yarn be withdrawn from the vicinity of sphere 33 at a rate considerably less than that at which it is supplied to the suction'device 13. 7

Figures 4 and illustrate-bne meansof controlling the rate at which the yarn is fed to the suction device and withdrawn therefrom. Yarn-40 is withdrawnfrom a source 41 by meansof feedroll- 42 and supplied to suction device 43 at a rate depending on the speed of rotation of roll 42. Upon emergingl'from tube'44, the yarn 40 strikesdeflector plate*45 where the'path of travel is directionally changed and it isthen'l'ed by Way of guides 46, 47 and 48 to a*take-up49. Shaft 52 of take-up 49, rotatably mounted in "housing 53,-i's'driven by any suitable means (not shown).

It will be seen from Figure 5 that freely rotatable'rollcr'50 lies in contact withthe rotating'take-up' 49 and is surface driven by the take-up 49 or thepackage' carried thereon. Feed roll 42 is' about 25%; larger india'metet than the averagediameterof roller 50' and isdrive'nby roller 50to which itiis connected. "Roller 50 is rotatably mounted on movable arm 5lfor sliding "rnove'mehtup and down,-depending on the'sizeofthe package carried on the'take-up' 49. Invi'ew'ofthe' size'of feed rlruz, the yarn" 40will alwaysfbe"supplied'to the sucti'orr'd'evice 43 at a rate about 25% faster'th'an i t"is'with'drawn by the take-up 49. As the package builds upon the take-up 49 and the peripheral speed of roller"'50 increases, the speed of feedroll42 increases at 'an identical rate.

It'will beseenthat the apparatus dislc'osed in Figures 4 and 5 not only controls the rate at which the yarn is supplied to the suction device and withdrawn'ther'efrom but also automatically compensates for the change in'the take-up'speed as the take-up package increases in size. By the use of this apparatus a substantially uniform curl or bulkiness is given to tlie yarn throughout the entire package.

Best results 'are obtained in practicing the present invention if the yarn is supplied to the suction device between about 5% and 40% faster than it is withdrawn therefrom, depending on the size of the yarn being treated andthe rate offeed. For example, a very satisfactory curl is obtained with 600/120 'viscose rayon yarn if it is supplied to the suction device between about 8 and 34% faster than it is withdrawn therefrom. "With 450/80 viscose rayon, a satisfactory range is between 7% and 30%. Good results are obtained by't'aking the yarn up at a rate of about'100 meters per minute. Thepresent invention may be .used to curl. either twistedor untwisted yarn. If desired, a quick drying soluble lacquer may be sprayed onto the yarn either before it enters the air stream, during the time it'is in the air stream or after it leaves the airstream. This is by no meansessential, but it is helpful as it tends to hold the curls in place during processing. After the yarn is wovenyt-he lacquer may be removed by washing.

It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is 'only to be limited by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing'a curly yarn-comprising establishing a stream of high-velocity gas flowing in a substantially straight path, introducing a continuous yarn into said stream at an angle, conveying said yarn through a confined zone while subjecting it to the action of'said g'as, changing the direction of travelof said yarn,-and withdrawing said yarn at an angle withrespect to the path of gas flow and at a rate slower than therateof introduction.

2. A method for producing a curlyyarn comprising establishing a zone of high velocitygas flowing'in a straight line, continuously introducing a yarn into said some at an angle, propellingthe yarnthrough a confined zone while subjecting it to the action of said gas, changing the direction of travel of said yarn, withdrawing said yarn at an angle with respect to the path of travel of gas through said zone, and collecting said yarn in orderly arrangement on a take-up.

3. A method for producing a curly yarn comprising establishing a high velocity gas stream flowing in a substantially straight line, introducingsucceeding portions of a continuous yarn into said stream at an angle forpropulsion thereby through said zone and discharge into the adjacent ambient, thereafter concurrently rapidly decelerating and changing thedirection of movement of said yarn while it is still under the influence of said stream, and collecting the yarn ata rate -slower than the rate of introduction.

4. A method for producing a curly yarn comprising establishing a zone of high velocity gas flowing in a straight line, continuously introducing a yarn into said zone at an angle, propellingthe yarn through a confined zone while subjecting it to the action of said gas, changing the direction of travel of said yarn, withdrawing said yarn at an angle with respect to the path of travel of gas through said zone, and collecting said yarn in orderly arrangement on a take-up, said yarn being intro duced into said high velocity zone at a linear speed at least 5% greater than the linear speed at which it is collected by said take-up.

5. A method for producing a curly yarn comprising establishing a zone of high velocity gas flowing in a straight line, continuously introducing a yarn into said zone at an angle, propelling the yarn through a confined zone while subjecting it to the action of said gas, changing the direction of travel of said yarn, withdrawing said yarn at an angle with respect to the path of travel through said-zone in orderly arrangement on a take-up mechanism disposed beyond the field of influence of said high velocity gas.

6. A method for producing a curly yarn comprising establishing a zone of high velocity gas flowing in a straight line, continuously introducing a yarn into said zone at an angle, propelling the yarn through a confined zone while subjecting it to the action of said gas, changing the direction of travel of said yarn, withdrawing said yarn at an angle with respect to the path of travel through said zone in orderly arrangement on a take-up mechanism disposed beyond the field of influence of said 'high velocity gas, said yarn being introduced into said high velocity zone at a linear speed at least 5% greater than the-linear speed at which it is collected by said take-up.

7. In a method for producing a curly yarn wherein a continuous yarn is introduced into a high velocity stream of gas, conveyed through a confined zone while being subjected to the action of said gas, withdrawn from the stream of gas at a rate slowerthan. the rate of introduction and collected in orderly form on a take-up, the improvement that comprises altering the general direction of yarn travel at the time itenters the gas stream.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the yarnis introduced'into the stream of gas at an acute angle with respect to the upstream portion of the gas stream.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,125,230 Hofmann July 26, 1938 2,220,024 Pool Oct. 29, 1940 2,224,923 Pool Dec. 17, 1940 2,783,609 Breen Mar. 5, 1957 

2. A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CURLY YARN COMPRISING ESTABLISHING A ZONE OF HIGH VELOCITY GAS FLOWING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING A YARN INTO SAID ZONE AT AN ANGLE, PROPELLING THE YARN THROUGH A CONFINED ZONE WHILE, SUBJECTING IT TO THE ACTION OF SAID GAS, CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID YARN, WITHDRAWING SAID YARN AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF GAS THROUGH SAID ZONE, AND COLLECTING SAID YARN IN ORDERLY ARRANGEMENT ON A TAKE-UP 